Spoiled

The kids and I changed around our school room the other day.  Before you see the pictures, I want to share my thoughts/disclaimer. 

First, we have way to many toys.  I know that.  Despite going through toys at Christmas and giving away 2 bins and having 4-5 more bins that we put up in the attic for a yard sale, we still have lots of toys.    We got enough toys for Christmas for 2 children’s entire stock of toys. 

With that said, I love our school room.  It is very conducive to self-directed play.  It also is set up in a manner that is organized and usable.  I don’t feel like out kids miss out on preschool because truly they have their own preschool in the playroom.  However I often feel guilty when I show people are school room.  We have way too much. 

Chris and I have discussed limiting the number of gifts that are given during Christmas and birthdays.  We have talked about ways to combat all that our children have.  We try really hard to teach our children to be giving and to share all that God has given them.  We try to teach them to be grateful for all that they have.  We try to teach them to love God and family more than any toy they own.  We try to teach to enjoy the little things such as cereal boxes and coffee cans.  Yet they have more than probably a third world country’s entire population of children combined. 

We do tend to have more educational toys than “commercial” toys.  I call those toys that look pretty in the box and are only played with a time or two commercial toys.  Those are the toys that are marketed on the commercials.  Those toys usually don’t last long at our house and end up in the attic ready to be sold on Craig’s list or the next yard sale.  We much more prefer the toys that encourage creativity and critical thinking skills than the commercial toys.

With all of that said, enjoy the pictures of our changed around school room…

This is the Art/Writing center. 

 

This is the Music center.

This is Library.  The puppet theatre is in the bay window. 

This is Block center/Circle Time Area.

This is Science Center.

 

This is Home Living Center.

This is Math/Manipulative Center.  

Ari worked on labeling things in the school room. 

Later, she brought labels for our bed that she taped onto to each of our corresponding sides:)